5 Things To Do and See at Schoenbrunn Palace

It might mean “beautiful spring,” but Vienna’s Schoenbrunn Palace is a must-see in every season. Sip gluehwein at the Christmas market or wander the extensive gardens. This palace will show you why it's Austria’s most popular tourist destination.

Photo: Cha già José @Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Attend A Classical Concert

Vienna will forever be the global capital of classical music. Catch one of the daily Mozart and Strauss concerts in the historic Orangery. Booking in advance is recommended.

Explore the Grounds

Find a map of the grounds fountains, mazes, labyrinths and botanical gardens at the info counter. For 7 euro you can even ride the Panorama train on a 55 minute guided tour.

Photo: Petr Kadlec @Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Eat Like A King (or Queen)

Of the park’s nine cafes, Cafe Gloriette is the best kept secret. Atop Gloriette hill, it offers a breathtaking view of the palace and its grounds, not to mention coffee and cake.

Tour the Palace

Take a walk through imperial history -- a guided audio tour is included with your ticket. The residential and ceremonial rooms seem to go on forever, each more grand than the next.

Visit the Zoo

The Schoenbrunn zoo is the oldest zoo in the world and has won the title of Europe’s Best three times.

Schonbrunn Palace: Our Tips

Arrive Early to Avoid the Crowd

It is, after all, Austria’s most-visited site. Schoenbrunn Palace is off the U4 Schoenbrunn stop, about a fifteen minute metro ride from the center of Vienna. Opening times for the gardens vary by season, but try to arrive around 8:30 when the palace opens daily. You will thank yourself when you see the crowd at noon.

Buy Tickets in Packages

Avoid paying an entrance fee for each garden and the palace separately, and opt for a combination pass instead. The packages range from the Classic Pass to more luxurious packages like Sisi’s Treasures, which includes a three course meal and concert in the Orangery.

Good to Know

When to visit

8:30AM - 5:30PM

What is the price?

The most expensive option -- A Grand Tour with a guide -- costs €18.90. For packages that include a classical concert, for instance, check out our list.

Will I need a guide?

It's not necessary, but if you want a more education experience, definitely look into it!

How to get there

Take the metro to the U4 Schoenbrunn stop.

Additional tips

There's a public swimming pool tucked away in a secluded part of the grounds so bring your swimsuit!

What People Are Saying About Schonbrunn Palace

Great public transit! Everything we wanted to was a nice ride.

We really enjoyed ourselves. Our only unresolved challenge was to find an ATM that would accept Interact. We should have asked Vienna Info.

You must visit as many places as you can to get value

We had a 3 day pass plus a travel pass. You definitely have to make sure you visit plenty places to get value. It removes the thought of "will we go here because it costs €15" you go and don't need to think about it. I would definitely recommend getting the travel pass as well - we covered a lot of miles that weren't on any bus routes.

Great value for money if you pack it in and plan ahead

The Hop on Hop off buses were not disability friendly. My father and husband are both disabled. The driver would not wait for them to get off the bus and they had to get a taxi back from the following stop. This incurred an additional fee of 8 euros.
Overall we did not feel the attitude of staff was particularly friendly. We often met with curtness, sharpness of tone and a rather dictatorial manner.
Not being able to pick up book or tickets until the 1st day - did limit precious time.
Hop on buses that go in a circular route create difficulties for passengers with mobility issues who may want to go the other way round to reach their destination more quickly

Perfect pass for the Vienna first visitors!

Vienna is too short for couple of days!
There are so many things to do and the Vienna Pass is the perfect mate for the first visitor to Vienna. Easy and fast access to best places in Vienna. You can enjoy all around beautiful city with endless things to see!